. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean . us, ; commissure, ITdh.—Whole of North America. It is quite probable that, as Mr. Cassin suggests, the supposed young bird, as described above,is really distinct from the white bird, but in the absence of positive facts in the case I do notfeel at liberty to separate the two, especially as Mr. Audubon asserts j)ositively that a gray orbluish specimen in possession of Dr. Bachman became white. I have not the means of testing the
. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean . us, ; commissure, ITdh.—Whole of North America. It is quite probable that, as Mr. Cassin suggests, the supposed young bird, as described above,is really distinct from the white bird, but in the absence of positive facts in the case I do notfeel at liberty to separate the two, especially as Mr. Audubon asserts j)ositively that a gray orbluish specimen in possession of Dr. Bachman became white. I have not the means of testing the validity of Mr. Cassins new Anser albatus, which is saidto differ from the common species in smaller size, shorter bill, &c. In the very great variationsof size and proportions in the geese I can scarcely believe that the grounds of distinction asannounced are sufficient in the present case to make two species. The name caerulescens has priority of date over liyperhoreus, and if the species are the sameshould be used, but for the fact that the adult bird is not bluish, but white, thus conveying afalse impression respecting it. List of ANSER GAMBELII, Hartlaub. White Flouted Goofse; Laughing Goose. Anser alhifrons, Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 456. Not of Gmelin.—Nutt. Man. II, 34G.—Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, , 568: pi. 260.—Ib. Syn. 272.—Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 209; pi. gamhdii, Hartlaub, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1852, 7. Sp. Ch.—Tail of sixteen feathers. Bill aud legs red. Along sides of bill and forehead white, margined behind with blackishbrown. Rest of head and neck grayish brown, becoming pale on the jngulum. Back bluish gray, the feathers anteriorlytipped with browu; the sides similarly colored. The breast and belly grayish white, blotched irregularly with black; the analregion, sides behind, and beneath the tail, with the upper coverts, white. The secondary quills and ends of primaries are darkbrown; the remaining portion of primaries and the cove
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